Scenarios dizzying for Western Michigan, but two wins would give Broncos a share of West

KALAMAZOO — It’s reached the point where Steve Hawkins finds himself almost apologizing every time he tries to explain the Mid-American Conference — a league defined by parity, and somewhat frustratingly so.

Steve Hawkins

“It’s the MAC,” Hawkins usually settles on, after stumbling through a few syllables in attempt to offer a fresh explanation.

With two games left in the regular season, “It’s the MAC” is perhaps the best way to quantify all that’s happened over the last two months, which has left absolutely nothing settled entering the final six days.

“I know everything’s in play,” said Hawkins, whose Western Michigan University team tips off at Central Michigan at noon today. “As we sit here and we talk, I know that everything from a (No.) 2 seed, although unlikely, to a 4 seed and a bye, is possible, to a road (play-in) game, to a home game. It’s all in play ... with two games left.”

The same pretty much goes for West Division foes Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Ball State.

Nothing is set on the East side, either, where Akron and Kent State are atop the standings at 11-3 and Buffalo and Miami are also in play for one of the top four seeds at 8-6.

WMU, EMU and CMU all hold 7-7 MAC records, with Ball State one game up at 8-6.

Whichever team emerges takes the No. 2 seed at the MAC Tournament, which comes with a bye straight to Cleveland. Ball State and Eastern Michigan are in the best spots, with the Cardinals needing only to win at Toledo and at WMU, and Eastern Michigan holding a pivotal tiebreaker with everyone in the West by virtue of its win at Akron.

“Don’t forget Eastern,” said Hawkins, whose team lost by 16 in Ypsilanti 13 days ago. “To me, they still have as many pieces as anybody. They’ve got a great point guard and two great big guys. To me, that’s a great place to start.”

For Western Michigan, winning a share of its fifth West Division title in seven years under Hawkins is as simple as winning its next two games.

Grabbing the No. 2 seed, however, means winning and scoreboard watching and, given the need for Ball State to lose at Toledo, possibly praying.

Yet, unlike the last couple of years, when the West has been so inferior to the East that the second seed was the only chance for a West team to have a bye, the No. 4 seed — the final seed that includes the pass straight to Cleveland — is still mathematically in play.

In WMU’s case, getting the 4 seed means winning out, having Miami lose out — to Kent State and Buffalo — and having Buffalo fall to Ohio before beating Miami.

That scenario could also be botched for the Broncos if Eastern Michigan takes the No. 2 seed, via tiebreaker, and WMU winds up even with Ball State and Buffalo and 9-7. Then Ball State gets the fourth spot.

If the Broncos lose today, all that remains to play for on senior night against Ball State is to secure a home play-in game in the MAC tournament.

Two losses and WMU (15-13 overall) might be headed on the road to open the tournament on March. 7.

For a team that’s lost twice in the final seconds and appeared to be running out of steam a week ago, there’s still a ton on the line — no matter how dizzying it is to figure it all out.

“I think we did a great job of really staying with it the whole year,” WMU senior guard David Kool said. “We kept saying to ourselves, ‘A couple games here, a couple games there, if we keep playing hard and keep trying to do our part and win some games, that we’re going to be right back into the race.’ And some things went our way and we’re back into it.”

It’s no surprise to Hawkins, even if he wishes his squad had distinguished itself from this mess of mediocrity.

“I’ve been in the league long enough now to know there isn’t separation,” Hawkins said. “The current structure of how everybody goes about their business — I don’t foresee it coming. Some teams on a given year are going to be able to run away with it. ... Toledo is three or four years away from winning the MAC overall title. Now they’re in trouble here obviously this year. It’s just the way the league is. There’s so little difference.